Jane Henson, Co-Creator Of The Muppets, Dead At 78"As the first partner to the famous Muppeteer, Henson was instrumental in the creation of the earliest characters in the brood of marionette-puppet hybrids. The initial crew of zany foam personalities included Kermit, who made his 1955 debut on the TV show Sam and Friends not as a frog, but as a green-hued lizard made from an old coat belonging to Jim's mother."
Los Angeles Times 04/04/13